A few get the news: Schaffer in Senate race

Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 5, 2007 at midnight

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Bob Schaffer has announced that he will run for U.S. Senate in 2008.

But for now, the former Republican congressman has told only about 100 people.

He let the cat out of the bag as he delivered the keynote speech a week ago at the Teller County Republicans' annual Lincoln dinner, people who attended the dinner confirmed.

Contacted Friday, Schaffer tried to stuff the cat back in.

"I don't have any comment on my conversation with the Teller County Republicans," he said.

Schaffer told the crowd "that a decision had been made," said Teller County Commissioner Bob Campbell, who was at the dinner.

"He said he was running for Senate," confirmed Mark Sievers, chairman of the Teller Republican Central Committee. "He said, 'There, I said it.' And we're excited about it."

Schaffer would be the first Republican to take on Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, in the race to replace outgoing Sen. Wayne Allard, a Republican from Loveland.

"If Bob Schaffer gets in, Bob Schaffer will be the next senator from Colorado," said Dick Wadhams, Colorado Republican Party chairman. "Mark Udall may have moved to Eldorado Springs, but he's a Boulder liberal, and he'll be a great contrast."

Udall's chief of staff, Alan Salazar, said voters are looking for leadership, not name-calling. "Dick knows better, but that's the tactic that served him so well as a campaign politico, and it's no surprise to me that he would start out the rhetoric that way," he said.

bargec@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5059

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